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Then she stood up and extended her hand. For a moment I thought she was pointing at me. When she smiled and shook an imaginary hand, I knew I was dealing with a madwoman. Then she spoke in a soft voice in case someone overheard her talking to herself.
“No, no,” she said, “I had no problem finding the place. What? Oh, yes. It’s a beautiful house. Do I come from a house like this? No, not exactly…”
She shook herself off and tried again.
“Yes, I come from a house very similar to this on my homeworld,” she said. “We’re old money. All inherited from oil and gas reserves. You know what they say, you need energy to make energy.”
She laughed in a fake high-pitched voice. She rolled her eyes at herself and shook her head.
“Stupid,” she said.
I couldn’t help but smile. She was charming. She was being her honest and true self… even if she was practicing the lies she would tell me.
I reached for the faucet. I would turn it on and it would warn her I was in the restroom.
I paused.
Did I want her to know I was there? That I’d overheard her practiced lines?
No. It didn’t feel right.
So what was I supposed to do? The restroom had no other exits, no windows—
What was I thinking? I was going to climb out of the window of my own private office bathroom just so an employee—a potential employee—could avoid a little embarrassment?
And what if I got stuck? Then she’d have to help me get out.
Now the embarrassment would be reflected on me a thousand-fold.
No. I would simply wash my hands and go out there. I’d act surprised to see her and we could carry on with the meeting.
“Hello?” the girl said, approaching the restroom. “Is anyone in there?”
I don’t know. Is there?
Now what?
Wipe my hands as if I just washed my hands? Except, I hadn’t turned the faucet on… Which would make it obvious I’d been watching her.
Maybe I should pull my pants down and sit on the toilet?
I didn’t even want to go there.
I crept into the shower stall and drew the frosted door across.
This was so embarrassing.
Now what if she caught me? I raised my hands to the showerhead as if I was inspecting it. If she opened the shower door, I would pretend I was fixing it… without any tools.
It was the best I could think of.
“Hello?” the girl said, entering the restroom. “Oh, wow. Nice. Note to self: Charge these people a lot. They can afford it.”
She sang to herself as she touched up her makeup in the mirror. She turned the faucet on to wash her hands, which made the showerhead above me drip. I’d been meaning to get the damn thing fixed. The water dribbled through my hair, down my neck, and brought a shiver with it.
I couldn’t just stand there. I needed to do something.
I dug my communicator out of my pocket and sent a message to Waev. I told him to knock on the door, invite the girl out, and get her to leave. Then I would be free to escape my office.
